At the Price of Oblivion
by RaucousDragon
Summary: Sequel to Coming Closer. After over two years apart, Zoro and Hikari are finally reunited, but nothing is as it seems. Will their separation drive the two apart, or does time strengthen all bonds? Zoro X OC, rated M for language and possible sexual scenes
1. Two Years Later

_**Ten points for whoever can name all the references I have in here.**_

_**Seriously, it's reference city in there. Even the title is a reference. I was inspired by so many different movies and such that it all kind of found its way into the story. Like the blatant references to Skyward Sword. Sorry about that. I'm obsessed with the game, and I couldn't resist.**_

_**At any rate, I now present to you Chapter One of the sequel to Coming Closer: At the Price of Oblivion.**_

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><p><em><strong>Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, or any of the characters affiliated with the series.<strong>_

_**I do, however, own Hikari Oshiro. **_

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><p>Two years had passed since the events at Sabaody Archipelago. Two years since the War of the Best. Two years of training, of isolation, of tempering their minds and bodies. After two years, the Strawhat crew had finally been reunited, and was sailing the seas again.<p>

Except for one.

One crewmember had not yet returned. The Strawhats hadn't been able to wait for her to return, but every day they scanned the skies, hoping they would see her come flying back home.

And every day they were met with the same disappointment.

A certain swordsman was suffering more than the rest of the crew. At the current moment, he was sitting in the galley, absentmindedly stirring a pot while the cook ran to the hold to grab some ingredients. The swordsman's thoughts had turned to the missing crewmember, and he stared out the window, not noticing that the concoction was giving off black smoke.

Sanji walked into the galley just in time, screeching, "What the fuck are you doing, shitty Marimo?" Sprinting over to the stovetop, he knocked Zoro out of the way, fanning the smoking pot with a rag. Zoro stood off to the side, arms crossed over his chest, scowling at the floor. The potential disaster averted, Sanji spun on the swordsman, jabbing a smoking cigarette in his direction. "You almost ruined a perfectly good meal, asshole!" he snarled. "Get your head out of your ass!"

When Zoro didn't respond to his insults and instead sat at the table with a heavy sigh, Sanji knew what was wrong. "She'll come back eventually. Now stop moping and help me cut these vegetables."

Zoro absentmindedly picked up the knife that the cook had placed next to him and began to quickly slice the food placed in front of him. "I'm not moping," he muttered under his breath.

Sanji rolled his eyes at Zoro as he attempted to salvage the burned meal. "You're obviously head-over-heels for her. Look, why don't you stop moaning and moping around and just… just marry the girl?" he grumbled, tossing the now dirty rag at Zoro's head. The piece of cloth found its mark, landing on the green mess of hair. Yanking it off, he glared daggers at the cook.

"Marry her?" the swordsman asked incredulously, taking Sanji's sarcastic comment seriously. "You don't just walk up to a girl, hand her a bouquet and say, 'Hey, remember me? We were kids together. Will you marry me?'" Laughing bitterly, he balled up the rag in his hands, grumbling, "It just isn't done that way…"

Sanji scowled as he listened to the swordsman whine. "I honestly could care less about your damn problems, Marimo. Grow some balls! Tell her how you feel. Unless you really are incapable of emotion…"

Zoro growled angrily at the cook's last comment, but his anger quickly faded. "It's no use," he sighed, defeated. "I've thought it all out. It just wouldn't work. I mean, what do _I _have to offer _her_?"

"Your charming personality," Sanji drawled sarcastically, dodging quickly as Zoro flung the knife he had been using at the cook's head.

"I'm serious, dammit!" the swordsman snarled. "She's sure to have cleaned up her life in these past two years. I'm still an outlaw. That's no life for any decent woman: always on the run. I'm sure she has plans set out for her future. What kind of future does she have with me?" He scowled darkly at the table, and Sanji couldn't help but feel just a tad bit sorry for him.

"Oh, for crying out loud!" Brook cried out, waltzing into the kitchen and startling the swordsman out of his reverie. "You're not an outlaw! Someday, you'll be called the greatest swordsman who ever lived!"

Zoro grumbled under his breath, unable to think of anything to say. The skeleton laughed as he seated himself across from the swordsman, propping his head up on his hands. "Why do you care, anyway?" he continued. "If you really love her, none of that should matter."

Zoro snarled half to himself, running a hand through his messy hair. Standing up, he started to pace. "It's just… It's been two years. What if she met someone else? What if she's given up on me?" he babbled, unable to stop the flow of questions he had been asking himself for two years.

Brook hummed happily, chuckling under his breath. "I wouldn't be so sure about that, Zoro-san," he replied in a sing-song voice. Zoro ignored the musician, continuing to pace until the rest of the crew filed in for dinner. Nami and Luffy appeared to be in the middle of a heated debate, neither refusing to give in.

"I told you, it's too dangerous!" Nami snapped, sitting down in a huff.

"But I'm the captain!" Luffy countered, crossing his arms and pouting. "And I say we're going!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Zoro interrupted, plopping into his chair. Sanji shot him a scathing look for talking to his dear Nami-swan in that manner, but stayed silent as Nami proceeded to explain.

"There's a really famous sky island up ahead known as Skyloft. It's supposed to be an incredible island, but the only way there is to take a ferry, which would mean leaving the Thousand Sunny in a foreign port."

"Skyloft?" Robin asked, sounding intrigued. "Isn't that where the Sky Knights are based out of?"

The rest of the crew looked at her like she had sprouted a second head.

"The Sky Knights are an elite force of warriors," Robin explained with a sigh. "They are an extremely powerful force in the New World, and also one of the only forces that isn't allied with the World Government."

"Seems safe enough," Zoro grunted, shrugging his shoulders noncommittally. The rest of the crew seemed to agree, and Nami soon found herself completely overruled by an excited crew. With a defeated sigh, the navigator gave in to the will of the rest of the crew. "Alright!" she announced, scowling at the table. "We'll go to Skyloft!"

The cheers of the crew lifted Zoro's spirits slightly, but his worries still buzzed around in the back of his mind, an ever-present murmur in his thoughts.

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><p>Adjusting the swords on his hip, Zoro walked out onto the deck. The rest of the crew was scattered around the tiny ferry that was soaring skyward through the clouds. He walked over to the railing, peering over hesitantly, and immediately wished he hadn't. They were thousands of miles above the ocean, and he got an intense feeling of vertigo as he looked over the edge. Leaning back, he opted instead to look up at the island that they were quickly approaching.<p>

He was surprised to discover that the island wasn't made of clouds. It instead appeared to be chunks of earth floating in the sky. He stared in awe, wondering how the islands stayed where they were.

"Incredible, isn't it?" a strange voice asked beside him. Glancing to his right, Zoro saw a young man wearing a yellow Sky Knight uniform standing next to him. The soldier turned to face him, bowing respectfully and then offering him a hand in greeting. "My name is Pipit, sir. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Zoro nodded, grasping Pipit's hand in a firm handshake. "Roronoa Zoro," he replied, liking the soldier's respectful nature. Glancing back at the islands, he commented, "I've seen sky islands before, but none of them looked anything like that. How do they stay there?"

"No one knows," Pipit replied with a sigh. "Personally, I think that it's the power of the Goddess."

Zoro rolled his eyes and snorted. "I don't believe in crap like that," he grumbled under his breath.

The soldier shrugged. "Believe what you will. At any rate, we'll be landing soon. It was an honor to meet you, Roronoa-san." Bowing, Pipit walked over to the other guards on the ship, who began to prepare for landing. Zoro turned and made his way over to the rest of the crew. Luffy ran over to him and grinned out from under his hat.

"Isn't this cool, Zoro?" he chirped. Zoro nodded curtly, crossing his arms over his chest. He was still uncomfortable with being this high up on such a rickety small ship.

A loud trumpet sounded out across the clear morning air, announcing the arrival of the ship. The ferry finally docked at the port, and the passengers disembarked. The Strawhat crew stood on the dock, staring at the brightly colored banners and the bustling crowds. It felt as if the crew had just stepped into a painting. Colors whirled about, both in the form of people and animals. Enormous, multi-colored bird soared through the air, some carrying Sky Knights on their backs. It was both overwhelming and breathtaking.

Luffy clapped his hands together, running out in front of the crew. "Amazing!" he cried, spinning around as his attention jumped from place to place. "I knew it was a good idea to stop here!"

Nami rolled her eyes. "Stay close," she called to the crew, ignoring Luffy's antics. "I don't want anyone to get lost and end up falling off the island." The rest of the crew cheered and ran after Luffy, everyone eager to enjoy themselves. Zoro lagged behind, taking in the whole scene. His gaze was drawn to the soldier dressed in yellow. He stood at the edge of the docks, waiting as a large brown bird flew up next to him, allowing him room to leap onto its back. Clutching the saddle on the bird's back, the soldier soared elegantly overhead atop his steed. Zoro watched silently, a pang shooting through his heart as he remembered flying with a certain bird many years before. As he watched the birds dance through the air, his mind wandered, leading him back to that painful question. _What if she didn't come back because she's moved on?_

He vaguely heard one of the crew call out to him, urging him to catch up. Tearing his gaze from the skies above, he made his way over to where the crew was standing, listening as one of the locals recounted his tale to them.

"I swear it's true!" the man protested, pleading with a very skeptical cook and an unbelieving navigator. "A Sea King has been swimming around in the Sea Clouds! It's attacked the market a couple of times. If you don't believe me, ask the others!"

"And how the hell did a _Sea King_ get all the way up here?" Nami drawled, crossing her arms and glaring at the local.

The man opened his mouth to respond, but an earsplitting roar ripped through the air. Everyone froze as the echoes faded, and then all hell broke loose. Zoro wheeled around, one hand immediately flying to the hilt of his favorite sword. He saw the Sea King erupt forth from the clouds, huge teeth flashing as the beast roared. People ran screaming in all directions, trying to get away from the potential danger. The entire square was empty, save for one person.

Whoever it was stood calm in the middle of the square, refusing to move. The green Sky Knight uniform seemed to shine in the sunlight as the soldier stood tall and unafraid. The long cap fluttered in the breeze, drawing Zoro's eye to the elegant sword slung across the soldier's back. Other than a clearly fantastic sword, the soldier was unarmed.

"That idiot's going to get himself killed!" Nami cried out, backing away from the feral monster. The Sea King reared its head back, shrieking to the heavens before turning its gaze to the lone soldier. The beast narrowed its eyes, lowering its head to near ground level before letting out an earsplitting roar and lunging at the soldier, who made no effort to move.

In that instant, time seemed to slow. Zoro saw the monster's teeth flash before snapping together. Someone behind him screamed, but in that moment, he could have sworn he heard the sound of steel ringing through the air. The Sea King surged skyward again, towering over them with an ominous growl. Usopp and Chopper yelped as the creature stared at where the crew was standing.

"It _ATE_ him!" they screeched, clinging to each other and staring in horror at the suddenly quiet monster.

"What are you talking about?" a voice called out from behind them. Zoro turned to see the soldier in yellow trotting over, his yellow hat bobbing behind him. Pipit came to a halt beside them, a frown on his face. "Sempai is standing right there."

Zoro heard a strangled gurgle, and slowly turned to face the sound. The Sea King had a strange glazed look in its eyes. The beast swayed slightly, before its head separated from its long snake-like body and came crashing to the ground. Zoro stared at the dismembered head before raising his gaze to see where Pipit was pointing.

The soldier in green stood a few feet from his original location, seemingly unperturbed by the events. One hand was slightly extended, as if he had just been holding a sword. Not a speck of blood sullied the soldier's perfect uniform. "Impossible," Zoro murmured, staring wide-eyed at the Sky Knight. He hadn't even seen the soldier draw his sword. No one moved that fast.

Pipit walked up to a few feet away from the soldier, laughing as he surveyed the scene. "Flawless as ever, I see," he grinned, returning his gaze to the soldier. "Although, you didn't need to step in. I could have handled it by myself, Sempai."

The soldier in green chuckled airily, and Zoro felt a shiver run down his back as some small part of his brain recognized that voice. "What's the point of sitting back? If I don't practice, I'll get rusty," the soldier complained in a smooth voice as he turned around to address the soldier.

Zoro froze as recognition struck him. He found himself staring at a face so familiar to the one he had longed to see for over two years. The soldier was, in fact, a woman. A few strands of white hair fell over her face, almost obscuring her sparkling gray eyes. She smiled back at Pipit, and Zoro felt a pang as he wished that the woman she resembled would suddenly appear and smile at him in the same way. Her smile soon disappeared though, a frown replacing it as she put one hand on her hip and jabbed a finger in the yellow soldier's chest. "And I thought I told you not to call me Sempai."

Pipit laughed as he put his hands up and stepped back. "Sorry, sorry," he apologized, one hand rubbing the back of his head as he tried to put more distance between himself and his superior. "But you're just so cool, Hikari-san! I can't help but respect you."

Zoro swore he could hear his heart stop. He stared in shock at the woman, his jaw dropping as his suspicions were confirmed. The rest of the crew reacted in a similar manner, simply staring dumbly at the soldier.

"D-did you say… Hikari?" Nami choked out, a look somewhere between horror and awe on her face.

The woman started at Nami's question, turning to look at the crew for the first time. Her eyes widened as recognition flashed across her face. Zoro heard footsteps, and saw Luffy walking slowly toward Hikari, his face strangely blank. It appeared that the young captain was forcing himself forward. Small steps turned into larger strides, which in turn became a trot, and then a full out sprint. Hikari yelped as Luffy flung himself at her, wrapping his stringy arms around her slender figure. She staggered backward, trying to keep her balance as the young captain seized her in a tight hug and burying his face in her shoulder.

"Oi, Luffy, you're suffocating me," she gasped, lightly patting the captain's shoulder as she hugged him back.

"We thought you weren't coming back, Shiro," he mumbled, his muffled voice sounding as if he was terribly close to bursting into tears. "We thought you had forgotten about us."

Hikari smiled sadly down at Luffy. "Of course I didn't forget about you, silly. We're nakama, aren't we? Nakama don't forget about each other." Luffy's grip on her tightened momentarily, but then he was back, grinning in her face with his usual stupid grin.

At this, the rest of the crew was broken out of their trance. Running over, they all greeted their long lost crewmember. Zoro was the last to approach, standing just outside the group and watching silently. A small smile crept over his face as he watched Hikari laughing with the rest of the crew. Finally, after she had been greeted by the others, she turned to him. The two stood a few feet apart, neither saying a word to the other. Hikari's eyes bored into Zoro's good one, as if she was trying to read his mind. After a few minutes, Zoro coughed uncomfortably, shifting slightly and glancing away. A smile tugged at the corners of Hikari's lips, and she laughed at the swordsman. Zoro scowled, and was about to demand what the hell she was laughing at when he realized that her attention was diverted elsewhere. He could hear a commotion from within the crowd gathering behind them. Turning, he looked to see what was going on.

A small child, no older than two years old, wobbled out of the crowd. The boy was wearing what appeared to be a dark blue child-sized Sky Knight uniform. His hat sat low on his brow, and was clearly too big for him, as the end came near to dragging on the ground. Sobbing uncontrollably, the boy's gaze darted around until he saw Hikari. With a wail, the child sprinted toward her, arms outstretched and babbling senselessly. Concern flashed across Hikari's face as she brushed past Zoro, running over to catch the child and pick him up. Cradling the little boy in her arms, she examined him for any injuries as she whispered to him comfortingly. After a few moments, the child began to calm down, curling toward Hikari's body.

"Who's that?" Chopper asked hesitantly, vocalizing everyone's confusion.

Hikari glanced at the crew, a wary expression on her face. The child seemed to sense the shift in her mood, tugging on the front of her uniform with a tiny hand and whimpering slightly. Glancing down at the little boy in her arms, she seemed to relax, a broad smile replacing the apprehensive look from before. Sucking in a deep breath, she faced the crew, still clutching the boy in her arms.

"This is Kichirou… my son."

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><p><em><strong>TBC<strong>_

_**O-ho-ho! Betcha didn't see that one coming!**_

_**If you did, I applaud your psychic abilities.**_

_**Thanks for reading! Comments, questions, and constructive criticism are always welcome. Suggestions are appreciated. Seriously, I can always use new suggestions for plot and such. **_


	2. The Child

___**Chapter two! This took me a while to write... School sucks.**_

_**Also, thanks for the review! I know this story is a bit weird, and the characters are a bit OOC, but that'll change soon. Hopefully. **_

_**No references this time. I mean, aside from the whole Skyward Sword thing. That's just obvious, though.**_

_**At last, we learn who Kichirou's father is! :D**_

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><p><em>Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.<em>

_I do own Hikari and Kichirou. :3_

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><p><strong><em>At the Price of Oblivion<em>**

_Chapter Two _

_Hikari glanced at the crew, a wary expression on her face. The child seemed to sense the shift in her mood, tugging on the front of her uniform with a tiny hand and whimpering slightly. Glancing down at the little boy in her arms, she seemed to relax, a broad smile replacing the apprehensive look from before. Sucking in a deep breath, she faced the crew, still clutching the boy in her arms._

"_This is Kichirou… my son."_

The crew stared numbly at Hikari. None of them could believe the words that they had just heard her utter. This boy was her _son_? Zoro's jaw had practically fallen off when she had spoken those words. His brain refused to comprehend the situation as he stared.

Usopp was the first to break out of the stupor. "You're kidding, right?" he stammered, half-laughing at what he considered to be some sick joke. When Hikari didn't withdraw her statement, he gaped at her, unable to form words.

"When the hell did that happen?" Nami snarled, storming up to where Hikari stood silently. "He can't be any older than two years old –"

"One and a half," Hikari corrected quietly.

"– So that means that you had to have gotten pregnant when you were with us!" the navigator finished, jabbing a finger at the boy. Hikari pulled the boy closer to herself, as if instinctively trying to shelter the child.

"What of it?" Hikari responded, eyes narrowed as she waited to see how the fiery redhead would react.

Nami glared at her for a moment, before squealing like a little girl and seizing her in a giant hug. "Why didn't you say anything, you sly dog?" she giggled, practically bouncing with excitement. Zoro noticed Hikari's posture lose some of its tension as she relaxed, her initial fear alleviated. The rest of the crew seemed to relax as well, and they began to drift closer, still staring at Hikari and her child.

Nami cooed at the child, trying to get a better view of the boy. He hesitantly peeked out at the redhead, watching her carefully from his mother's arms. "Wow!" she gasped as he finally looked directly at her. "He has gorgeous eyes! They're almost an emerald green, but with a bit of blue mixed in."

Hikari smirked slightly, chuckling under her breath.

"Does he have your crazy hair too?" the navigator joked, gently tugging off the boy's oversized blue hat. As the hat came off, she laughed as the boy made a grab for the dark blue fabric. Nami held the hat just out of his reach, grinning as she ruffled the boy's silver hair. Kichirou scowled darkly at her, snatching at the hat as she waved it before him.

"So who's the father?" Nami asked casually, asking the question that everyone had been thinking. Zoro acted uninterested, but he listened intently.

"This really isn't the place for discussion, Nami," Hikari scowled, averting her gaze.

"Oh please," Nami drawled. "So? Was it someone we happened to run into? Or someone on the crew?" When Hikari didn't respond, Nami continued. "Let's start with the crew. You never really told us your type, so let's see… It couldn't have been Brook, Chopper, or Franky. They're all too weird."

"Hey!" all three shouted.

"He doesn't have a super long nose, so it can't be Usopp…"

"What?" Usopp cried, apparently horrified by the idea.

"So that leaves Luffy, Sanji, and Zoro. And since I doubt that Luffy even knows what sex is…"

"Is it some kind of food?" Luffy chirped innocently, proving Nami's point.

"That leaves Swordsman-san and Cook-san," Robin finished Nami's sentence, watching Hikari intently. The archeologist walked gracefully over to where they stood, examining the boy for a moment before turning her attention back to Hikari.

"He doesn't look a lot like Sanji," Nami commented, frowning slightly.

"So that leaves Swordsman-san," Robin stated, staring straight at Hikari. For her credit, Hikari kept a very straight face. But she couldn't keep her cheeks from coloring slightly. Robin smirked as her suspicions were confirmed, and Nami gaped as she realized a few moments later.

"What? You? With Zoro?" she yelped incredulously, causing Hikari's already red face to turn several shades darker. At her outburst, the rest of the crew figured it out. Usopp and Chopper gaped, completely dumbstruck. Brook and Franky burst into laughter, howling hysterically. Sanji just got very quiet, accidentally snapping the cigarette he was clutching in half. Luffy didn't seem to understand, giggling along with Brook and Franky.

Zoro simply stared, his brain refusing to comprehend the situation. This was _his_ child? While a part of him recoiled in fear, another part of him swelled with pride. This was _his_ child.

"I told you that this wasn't the place to talk about this," Hikari muttered, clutching Kichirou closer as if he was her only lifeline. A rather large crowd had gathered around the edge of the plaza, ogling both at the decapitated Sea King and the large group of pirates. Hikari glanced back at the crowd, frowning as their murmurs grew louder. "We'll go to my place. We can talk there." A sharp gust of air billowed through the square, kicking up a cloud of dust. When the dust had settled, Hikari and Kichirou were nowhere to be found.

Pipit sighed, walking over to the confused pirates, muttering, "I hate it when she does that… She's such a showoff." Shaking his head, he walked a few steps ahead of them, stopping to look back. "Well, c'mon," he called over his shoulder, waving them on. "I'll take you to Hikari-san's house."

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><p>After almost an hour of hiking uphill, the crew finally staggered to a stop. Pipit appeared unimpressed by the crew's stamina, but he acknowledged that the altitude was probably wreaking havoc on them. Zoro doubled over, gasping in the thin air as he tried to catch his breath. Glancing up, he was shocked to discover that they were standing right outside what appeared to be a tiny shack. It wasn't overly extravagant, as he had been expecting it to be. It was a rather humble home, to be honest. As they inspected the house, the door burst open, and Kichirou tumbled out.<p>

"Pipit!" he chirped, a huge grin on his face. He stopped short as he saw the crew standing behind the soldier.

"Hey little one," Pipit grinned, ruffling the boy's silver hair. Kichirou scowled up at him, batting at the older man's hand. Laughing, Pipit turned to the crew. "I'm gonna go see what Hikari's up to. Stay here, though. I think she might be a little pissed." Turning, the man gave the boy one last pat on the head before striding into the house, closing the door quietly behind him.

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><p>Pipit cautiously peeked around the corner. He was met with a very annoyed Hikari who appeared to be venting her anger on whatever was close. At the moment, she was trying (unsuccessfully) to prepare lunch. She shot the soldier a glare that could melt ice as he walked into the room. He brushed it off, lounging against the counter and watching her intently. She ignored him for a while, but the staring finally took its toll as she slammed her hands against the counter in frustration.<p>

"What?" she snarled, fixing her fiery gaze on his smirking face. Pipit merely chuckled in response, watching her with the sly look he got when he was plotting something.

"That was… quite informative," he answered slowly, choosing his words carefully. Hikari growled angrily at him, turning away to throw the dirty dishes in the sink.

"What the hell was informative about it?" she grumbled. "Now everyone knows, and probably thinks that I sleep around with anyone who's hot enough."

"I doubt it," Pipit laughed, shaking his head. "Although, I'm sure most of the girls will be pretty jealous. I mean, _damn,_ you sure know how to pick 'em. That boy is _smokin'_." He glanced out the window as he continued. "Hell, I'd let him fuck me, too."

Hikari flushed at his words, but kept her composure. "You're such a pervert," she griped, wetting a rag to clean up her messy attempt at making a meal.

Faster than she could react, he was behind her, his surprisingly strong arms wrapped around her. "Maybe," he murmured into her hair, his voice sending shivers down her spine. He glanced out the window, watching the pirates as they milled around outside. A sly grin spread across his face, and he eyed her with an almost hungry look. Hikari tried to shrink away from him, but he held her firmly in place. "I have an idea," he purred seductively. "But you'll have to trust me…"

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><p>Zoro finally stopped pacing and glared at the house. That damn soldier had been in there for way too long. Glancing around, he frowned as the rest of the crew seemed content just waiting for that idiot to take his damn time. Growling, he stormed up to the house and grabbed the door handle, wrenching the door open.<p>

He froze as he took in the sight before him. Pipit had Hikari pressed up against the counter, one hand tangled in her hair. His lips were locked against hers in a passionate kiss, his body pressed flush against hers. Zoro stood silent in the doorway, his hand clenched painfully around the handle. Something roared to life inside him at that moment, a scaly beast that breathed fire and wanted Pipit's head on a pike. He desperately wanted to move, to rip that man away from Hikari and disembowel him, but his body refused to react. Hikari shoved Pipit off her, snarling wordlessly at the man. Pipit merely rubbed the back of his hand over his mouth, doing a terrible job of hiding the wide grin on his face. Glancing to the side, Hikari finally noticed Zoro. Her eyes widened, and she visibly paled.

"Sorry for interrupting," Zoro growled, cutting off whatever Hikari was planning on using as an excuse. He turned stiffly and walked out, slamming the door behind him. He stormed off, ignoring the crew's worried looks. Sucking in a deep breath, he tried to keep calm as his vision practically went red.

Two years. Two years of waiting patiently. Two damn years, and she had moved on. But not without the courtesy of rubbing it in his face. Zoro snarled as he kicked angrily at a rock, sending it flying several feet away. He couldn't comprehend the depths of his own anger, and it scared him. In an effort to calm himself down, he tried to sort out the raging fire of his emotions.

When he had seen Hikari in the square. That was the root of all of this. She had given him a look that had rekindled the waning fire of his affections. One look, and he had fallen for her again. He hated himself for being so weak when it was obvious that she was just toying with him. Closing his good eye, he rubbed a hand over his face. He was angry, yes, but his anger was dulled by exhaustion.

He stiffened as he heard quiet footsteps behind him. "Zoro?" Hikari called out hesitantly, unsure of how the swordsman was going to react. He heard her stop a few feet away, and her almost fearful distance from him sent fury burning through his veins.

"What?" he snarled, not even bothering to glare in her direction. His fists were clenched by his side, trying to keep himself from shaking. "What could you possibly want to say that could fix any of this… this shit? I waited for two years for you, and it's clear that you've moved on. I have nothing to say to you." Somehow, his rant hadn't made him feel any better. He glowered at the edge of the cliff, the angry silence failing to help his wounded heart. He felt empty, a hollow shell of a man.

He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't hear the near-silent footsteps approaching him. He started when he felt arms snake around his waist. Hikari leaned her forehead against his broad back, sighing deeply as she did.

"Don't leave," she pleaded softly. "Please… don't leave me alone again."

Zoro heard the pain in her words. It confused him. Hadn't she moved on? Then why was she acting like this? What was going on? Raising one hand, he pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes tightly. All these questions were giving him a headache. Shifting in Hikari's grip, he turned to face her, meeting her gaze.

"Explain," he grumbled, wishing he could cross his arms over his chest to look more defiant. Hikari scowled as she smoothed the wrinkled green overcoat he now wore.

"Pipit's an asshole, that's all," she muttered, a touch of red coloring her cheeks. "He was trying to make you jealous."

Zoro growled slightly, making a mental note to tear apart that yellow bastard the next time he saw him. Hikari leaned against his, a soft sigh escaping her lips. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, then stiffened as he realized that he had done so without meaning to.

"Sorry," Zoro finally murmured. Hikari glanced up at him, cocking an eyebrow up in her usual "what-the-hell" expression. "I'm not saying it again," he snapped at her, willing the heat from his face away. She smirked up at him, clearly announcing that she had won.

He was loathe to admit it, but she had played him. Not that he really minded. He had gleaned some useful information from this too.

"So are we gonna kiss and make up, or not?" she teased, her face mostly stoic but her eyes shining with playfulness. Zoro hummed as he thought about it, finally planting a kiss on her forehead. "Nope," he rumbled, pulling back with a grin. "I'm not touching what bird-boy touched until you wash his germs off."

Hikari scowled, smacking him lightly on the arm. Zoro rubbed his arm, mocking injury as he relinquished his hold on her. Stepping back, she glanced back toward the house and sighed, "We should head back. I don't want Luffy to destroy everything."

Laughing, Zoro stomped ahead, not bothering to wait for the white-haired woman. He knew she would follow.

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><p><em><strong>TBC<strong>_

_**Thanks for reading!**_


	3. Explanations

_**Holy god, it's been a while since I've updated.**_

_**Sorry for not updating in TWO FUCKING MONTHS. School is hell right now. I sincerely believe that all of my teachers are conspiring with fate to utterly destroy me. Seriously. I had two tests in two days last week. And I have a paper, a project, and another test next week. I'm going to die. AND SPRING BREAK IS SO CLOSE, IT'S LITERALLY KILLING ME.**_

_**Ahhh. Rant over. So anyway, this chapter gets very "M-rated" in parts. As in I tried to write a sex scene. And failed miserably.**_

_**Yeah, I'm terrible at writing smut. Bleh. At least I tried.**_

_**See, I figured a flashback would be good to explain just when the hell Kichirou was conceived, and since Hikari is CLEARLY NOT the Virgin Mary, I had to write in some sex. But I'm terrible at writing it. So if you wanna just skip the flashback part, I'm totally cool with it.**_

_**But dear mother of god, this is a long fucking chapter. 12 DAMN PAGES. I think this is the longest chapter I've ever written. Ever.**_

_**I am so off-topic right now. Anywho-zzle, have fun reading however much of this you choose to read.**_

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><p><em>Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.<em>

_I do own Hikari and Kichirou._

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><p><strong><em>At the Price of Oblivion<em>**

_Chapter Three_

Pipit smirked slightly as he leaned forward over the counter, his chin resting on his palm. He watched the pirates in their merriment, humming slightly as he waited for the fruits of his labors to fully grow. The situation had been perfect, if he didn't say so himself. Both Hikari's and the swordsman's reactions had been perfect. And he was sure that they would work out their problems in the end.

Jealousy always was a good catalyst.

Drumming his fingers on the counter, he wondered absentmindedly when the two would be getting back. Surely they would be back soon. Unless they were already getting it on. But he doubted it. Ever since Kichirou had come along, Hikari's maternal instincts had kicked in. She hardly spent five minutes away from him without worrying and being drawn back. She really was an overprotective mother, even if she didn't like to admit it.

And sure enough, less than a minute later, Kichirou was perking up, tiny arms stretching toward the door as he shouted, "Kachan!" The kid had a sixth sense for when his mother was approaching. Pipit heard two pairs of footsteps coming up the steps outside the door, coupled with Hikari's breathy laugh and the swordsman's deep chuckle. The yellow soldier decided that now would be a good time to slip away, considering the dark look that the swordsman had shot him when he had stormed out earlier. Pipit didn't quite like the idea of testing how sharp those three swords were. Rising silently to his feet, he ghosted out of the room. Nobody noticed the absence of their previous host, except for one observant pirate whose violet eyes had followed the soldier's path over the top of her book.

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><p>Hikari pushed open the door, stopping momentarily as the crew jumped at her as she entered. Ducking under a screaming captain who had hurled himself at her, and was currently complaining about being hungry at the top of his lungs, she scooped up Kichirou, who promptly tugged his cap over his ears and buried his face in her shoulder. Glancing up, she noticed a flash of yellow by the window, and with a grin like the Cheshire Cat, Pipit was gone. Scowling slightly at having been left to defend herself alone, she turned to the crew.<p>

"Sanji," she called over Luffy's racket. The cook perked up, leaping to his feet, and was by her side in an instant.

"Yes, my dear?" he gushed, giving her lovey-dovey eyes. Hikari ignored it, focusing on the task at hand.

"I hate to bother you, but would you mind cooking tonight? I was meaning to, but I haven't had the time to prepare."

Sanji bowed dramatically, blabbering something about how enchanted he would be to cook for her, but she tuned him out, trying to figure out how to calm the rest of the crew. Robin and Nami had already beaten her to the punch and were flitting back and forth among the rest of the crew, settling everyone down. Kichirou, finally calmed, peeked out from the shelter of Hikari's arms, loosening his grip on his cap. His blue-green eyes darted around the room, apprehensively watching the crew. He finally focused on one person, blatantly staring over her shoulder at Zoro. The boy tugged lightly on a lock of her hair to get her attention.

"Kachan," he whispered, staring with a mixture of apprehension and awe. "He has weird hair."

Hikari couldn't help but grin. Holding back laughter, she glanced back at Zoro as she replied, "Yeah, he does, doesn't he?"

Kichirou nodded, his expression serious as he inspected the swordsman. "He has shiny things." The boy paused for a moment before continuing. "I like him. He's not loud, like the rest of them."

Hikari chuckled softly at his words. "That's true," she mused absentmindedly. Zoro had noticed the two of them staring, and was giving her a confused look. A thought flashed across her mind, and a smirk slowly spread across her face. "Do you want to say hi?"

Kichirou nervously clutched her shirt and lowered his gaze, nodding slightly. Ruffling his hat, she ignored the boy's squawk of annoyance and walked over to where Zoro stood. The swordsman still looked confused and also a slight bit apprehensive as she approached with Kichirou. Nudging the boy to look up, she quietly said, "Kichirou, this is Roronoa Zoro-san."

The boy slowly raised his head, fixing his wide eyes on the swordsman's face. "Ro… Ro… Rononoah?" he asked, stumbling over the name. "It's like my name." Zoro's good eye widened at the boy's words. Completely oblivious to the weight of his own words, Kichirou turned back to Hikari, a confused look on his face. "Why is his name like mine, Kachan?"

A small smile twitched her lips. "Because Zoro-san is your Otosan," she responded carefully, watching the boy's reaction.

Surprisingly, Kichirou seemed unfazed by this. He simply blinked, and let out a small "Oh" in response. Turning his gaze back to Zoro, he seemed slightly less fearful of the swordsman. He stretched one hand out to the swordsman, and after a few moments, looked back to Hikari. Understanding his wordless request, Hikari held the small boy out to Zoro, who hesitantly took the child. Holding the boy out at arm's length, Zoro stared at the younger Roronoa. A few minutes passed as the two sat in silence. Finally, Nami let out an exasperated growl.

"For the love of God, will you snap out of it?" she snapped, glaring at the swordsman. Zoro flinched at her sudden outburst, but he hesitantly brought the child closer, tucking the small boy against his chest. He looked extremely uncomfortable, but as Kichirou lightly clutched his jacket, Zoro relaxed ever so slightly. A hint of a smile flickered across his normally stoic face as he watched the boy.

"Well, aren't you a big softie?" Hikari chortled, grinning slyly as she crossed her arms over her chest. Zoro shot her a dark glare, but she ignored it, turning back to the rest of the crew. Nami had a devilish grin on her face as she turned her gaze from the two Roronoas to inspect the white-haired woman. Hikari shifted uncomfortably under her scrutinizing gaze.

"So." The navigator watched Hikari closely, her brown eyes trained on her face. "You still haven't told us about how any of this happened."

Setting her jaw, she tried to keep herself from growling in frustration. While she had known that this topic was bound to come up, it didn't mean that she wanted to talk about it. "Well, you see," she drawled, letting annoyance seep into her voice. "When a man and a woman get all hot and bothered, this magical thing happens where the man puts his-"

"I know how the mechanics work, you ass!" Nami snarled, flushing slightly as she cut Hikari off. "I want to know how it got to that point!"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Luffy shouted, looking confused. "I still don't get it."

Everyone in the room groaned. Hikari closed her eyes and growled under her breath. Curse his innocence. And at this rate, he wasn't going to let up until he understood. "Luffy, you like food, right?"

The young captain grinned, his eyes lighting up at the prospect of food. "Yeah."

"Have you ever liked anything _more_ than food?"

"My nakama!"

"More than that."

Luffy pursed his lips, thinking about her question for a while. "No," he finally answered, looking even more confused.

_Damn. _Hikari scowled. This made things harder to explain. "Well, imagine if you did like something more than that." Luffy's eyes widened, as he seemed to understand. "A feeling like that can make you do and feel certain things."

Cocking his head to the side, Luffy frowned. "Like what?"

Hikari blinked. She wasn't sure how to answer that question. She tapped her finger against her jaw absentmindedly, pausing momentarily when she noticed Zoro watching her. A thought popped into her mind, and she fought to keep a grin from her face. Turning to face the swordsman, she took Kichirou from Zoro's arms. Setting the boy on the ground, she smiled down at him as she crooned, "Kichi, why don't you go see what Sanji-kun is up to?" As the boy smiled and darted off to the kitchen, she stood back up, facing the swordsman and keeping her face passive.

Zoro frowned down at Hikari as she stared at him, her face surprisingly blank. He narrowed his good eye, trying to pick out some emotion in her eyes. As he made eye contact, she deliberately broke from his gaze, slowly dragging her eyes down his muscular form as a tiny smirk twitched the edge of her mouth. The simple gesture sent shivers down his spine.

_What the hell was she thinking?_

Zoro stiffened as her gaze returned to his face. His breath hitched as she stepped forward, invading his personal space. His heart pounded as she raised her smoldering gaze back to his face. His throat was suddenly dry, and he swallowed nervously.

"Oi," he whispered softly, his gaze darting around the room and trying to will away the beginnings of a hard on. "What are you-"

He didn't get a chance to finish his sentence as Hikari fisted her hands in the front of his jacket and yanked him forward, catching him in a searing kiss. She crushed her lips against his, stealing his breath and invading his mouth with her considerably talented tongue. Zoro's good eye widened, but he soon allowed it to flutter shut as he lost himself in the sensation. He had forgotten how good Hikari tasted. He felt his pulse speed as he lost control and kissed her back passionately. His arms wrapped around her slender form, one hand snaking behind her head to tilt and give him a better angle. She shifted to accommodate him, spreading her palms over his bare chest. Her skin felt smooth against his, the places where she brushed against him burning through to his core. A pleased rumbled tore its way out of his throat at the sensation. The floor fell out from under his feet and his head spun. Everything else dropped away, leaving only Hikari and himself.

But then it was over and Hikari was breathing heavily against his skin. She leaned forward, eyes closed, until their foreheads barely touched. The swordsman used every ounce of willpower he had to keep his breathing slow and even as his mind reeled. Despite this, he could feel his hands trembling. Cursing silently, he tried to regain control as Hikari's breath ghosted over his face. He hated how one simple act on her part could make him come undone.

And yet, he was curious to discover that he didn't mind so much.

A loud clang caused him to jump, and his head snapped up toward the direction of the sound. Sanji stood frozen, a horrified look on his face and his hand outstretched as if he had been holding a pot. Which, in fact, he had been. Said pot now lay on the floor, and Zoro suspected that it might have been a bit dented from the fall. With a quick glance around the room, he quickly discovered that the rest of the crew's reactions were almost identical to Sanji's, with a few exceptions. One of which was Luffy. At some point, he had edged closer and now stood with his head cocked to the side, examining the two with a thoughtful look.

"I kinda get it now," he commented, shattering the silence that had blanketed the room. "It's what Hancock was talking about, right?"

Hikari, who had finally raised her head, frowned at the captain. "Who the hell is Hancock?"

Zoro would have answered, but he didn't trust his voice right now. He also wasn't sure his brain would be able to process words, as it seemed to be taking an extended vacation in his nether regions. Luckily, Robin saved him, responding in her usual calm voice. "He means Boa Hancock, Hikari-chan."

"Yeah, she keeps talking about how she's in love with me and stuff," Luffy chirped. "She keeps asking me to marry her. It's really weird." He made a face as if to prove his point.

Zoro could have sworn that Hikari's jaw had dislocated. She gaped at Luffy for a few moments before regaining her composure. "Boa Hancock," she said flatly, a disbelieving tone creeping into her voice. "_The_ Boa Hancock. The Snake Princess. The reputed most beautiful woman in the world is in love with… _you_?"

"Yup," Luffy responded, popping the 'p'.

Hikari stared for a few more moments, then shook her head. "Honestly, I don't know why I'm surprised anymore…"

Nami coughed uncomfortably, drawing Zoro's attention back to the room. Everyone except Luffy and Robin looked extremely uncomfortable. Zoro relinquished his hold on Hikari, crossing his arms over his chest and scowled darkly at a spot on the floor. Not for the first time, he was thankful for his tan complexion that hid the flush spreading rapidly across his face.

"Now that we're done bringing Luffy up to speed, why don't you get to the point?" the navigator demanded, jabbing a finger against Hikari's collarbone. Zoro struggled to keep himself from snatching her arm away, and from focusing on the hint of creamy skin that was just asking to be ravished. Setting his jaw, he determinedly concentrated on his breathing. _Focus, Zoro, _he cycled through his head as he observed the scene before him.

Hikari seemed hesitant as she stared back at Nami. "What's there to tell?" she sighed, sounding strangely defeated.

"For starters, when did _that_ happen? And by that, I mean… You know…"

Zoro shifted uncomfortably as a few eyes flickered toward him. To be perfectly honest, he himself didn't remember when they had slept together. Sure, there had been lots of flirting and teasing, but he couldn't recall anything beyond that.

"The night after you guys saved me."

The swordsman froze. That night… That's right, he was beginning to remember now… The night that had started with reintroductions, and a simple question on his part: _"Well, since all the formalities are past us, wanna grab a drink?"_

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><p>He was drunk. Not buzzed. Not tipsy. Full-on wasted.<p>

He couldn't remember how he had gotten so drunk, either. He glanced to his right and saw Hikari leaning against the counter, a bottle of cheap wine in her hand. A warm flush spread across her face, and her half-lidded eyes hinted that she was just about as drunk as he was.

He absentmindedly thought that she looked even more alluring with a hint of color on her face.

Shaking the thought from his head, he brought the bottle of sake to his lips, expecting to feel the warm liquid flow down his throat, and instead being met with a few measly drops.

"I'm out of booze," he whined, scowling childishly at the bottle. Tossing it to the side, he took satisfaction in the shattering sound as it hit something.

"That's too bad," Hikari murmured, a strange tone to her voice as she lifted her own bottle to her lips. He watched for a few minutes before he realized that he was staring. Tearing his gaze from her, he flopped down on the cool floor of the galley. At some point, he had taken his shirt off, but he didn't know when or why. He now proceeded to try to remove his haramaki and belt without getting back up. The process involved him lifting his hips awkwardly and trying to shimmy the two off.

After a few minutes of struggling, he finally managed to get both off, tossing them off to the side triumphantly. Had he been sober, he might have realized that this was not the best of ideas, and he might have recognized the burning look Hikari gave him as he grinned up at her from his place on the floor.

The triumph of freeing himself from the terrible belt and haramaki duo was soon overshadowed by his lack of booze. Scowling at the ceiling, he whined, "I want more booze."

"You can have some of mine," Hikari offered.

Zoro made a face. "I don't like wine. But booze is booze. Hit me." He stretched his hands over his head as he waited for her to hand him the bottle. As he waited, he heard the bottle clink and a shuffle as Hikari moved from her spot on the floor.

He started as her face appeared above his, and it took his brain a moment to process that she was on her hands and knees above him. While he should have normally been reeling by her closeness and the fact that one of her knees was dangerously close to his manhood, he couldn't help but think that she was remarkably beautiful up close.

"What are you…" Zoro began, but she cut him off, swooping down and pressing her lips against his. He groaned unconsciously, and as the kiss became open-mouthed, Hikari allowed the wine she had held in her mouth to flow down his throat. Zoro moaned as the sweet taste of wine mixed with Hikari's flavor, a biting hint of spice to season the sweet drink. He decided that he didn't really mind the taste of wine anymore, as long as she was there to flavor it for him.

His brain finally catches up, and he suddenly remembered why he doesn't like getting drunk. His body rebels from the strict regime placed by his mind, and he can't quite control himself. And right now he could really use some control. Kissing Hikari is a really bad idea. He can't exactly remember why, but the panic in the back of his mind warns him not to go any further.

He needs space to think, to clear his head. He attempted to push her away, sitting up to break free of her hold over him. Unfortunately, Hikari straightened with him, and she is now seated in his lap. Her nimble fingers wound through the short hairs at the nape of his neck and she feathers kisses along his jaw. This is definitely _not_ helping him think. His thoughts are clouded with growing lust, and he unconsciously tilted back his head, a low moan escaping his lips. He felt Hikari chuckle against his skin, and she proceeded to attack his now-exposed neck with lips and teeth and tongue.

Zoro tried to focus. He tried desperately to push through the murky mess of his thoughts and grasp some cohesive thought that wasn't about knocking her over and having his way with her. But such rational thoughts are like smoke, slipping through his grasp. He couldn't be doing this with her. He still couldn't remember why, but he knew it would end badly. It wasn't that he didn't want this, because _god, _did he want this. He had imagined it many times over, but his imagination paled in comparison to what it was actually like to have the white-haired woman draped over him, rubbing against him, ravishing any exposed skin that she could get her hands, or in this case, her mouth, on.

He growled in frustration, but it ended up sounding more like a moan of pleasure. Clamping his jaw shut, he tried to refocus himself. He couldn't be this weak. He has to be strong, to be the best. And giving in this easily was proof of his weakness, of his inability to overcome any obstacle in his way. Not that Hikari was an obstacle. He wasn't sure what she qualified as, to be honest. He still couldn't quite remember why he had imposed such a strange rule.

But he had to – _god, _she was licking his scar now. His breath hitched as she started to work her way down his chest, following the gnarled flesh that marks his brush with death. He didn't know why exactly, but something about her practically worshiping that scar caused his throat to go dry and white-hot fire to begin burning his insides. It doesn't help that his brain decided to remember just how far _down_ that scar goes. The thought of that warm mouth and that talented tongue anywhere that low sent excitement and anticipation coiling in his stomach. He still vividly remembered the last time Hikari's mouth had been down there, and his mouth went dry at the thought of those events being repeated. He found himself leaning back on his elbows so as to offer her a better angle. She stopped for a moment as he did, a sly grin stretching across face. His pulse raced at the look in her eyes, and he fought back a moan.

_No, no, no, no, no, dammit!_ Zoro struggled to focus. _This is bad, it's very, very bad._ If someone finds them having sex, it would be really, _really_ bad.

His brain, which appeared to be vacationing in his groin, roots itself on the idea of sex with Hikari.

As he struggled against his desires, he doesn't notice Hikari's hands sneaking lower until her fingers dip below the waistband of his pants and brush against the skin just above his manhood. His brain snapped to attention as she threatened to go lower. This needs to stop _now, _before they can do anything they'll regret later. He pulled one shaky hand off the ground and pushed against her shoulder, trying in vain to get her away from him. Unfortunately, when Hikari is determined to do something, she won't back down, so his efforts failed fantastically.

"Hikari," he whimpers, disgusted with how _needy_ he sounds. "We can't… Can't… No."

"Can't what?" Hikari is up in a flash, inches away from his face. Her voice had a hint of a husky rasp, just enough to hint that her current condition is not far from his own. His mouth has gone dry, and he swallowed painfully, trying to force the words out. Hikari drifted to one side of his head, her attention turned to his earrings. He absentmindedly noted that she seems to like the golden bars, but the thought is lost as she breathes against his ear. "What, Zoro?"

_You know what I'm talking about. Sex. We can't have sex. It'll ruin everything._

And just as Zoro opened his mouth to voice this thought, Hikari bit down on his ear, her tongue swirling around the metal and flesh, running a line along the junction where metal met flesh. Shivers cascaded down Zoro's back. He almost broke free of the spell, but Hikari chooses that moment to _swallow. _With half of his ear still in her mouth. Zoro's brain immediately jumped to the conclusion that that would feel _fantastic_ if focused elsewhere. His brain effectively turned to mush, all that he can muster is to groan out a string of nonsensical syllables.

Hikari abused his ear for a few more seconds before returning her attention to his scar.

"No…" Zoro gasped, his brain slowly piecing itself back together. Not for the first time tonight, he cursed the fact that he was so drunk. He could hardly piece together a coherent thought, and he really needed his brain to get out of this one. "I can't… I mean, we can't – _fuck!_" he cursed as she nipped at the top of his hip. She was barely doing anything, and he was coming completely undone.

Once again, his pleas have brought her hovering over him, her hands planted on either side of his broad chest. The action brought her hips to rest right where he both yearns for her to be, and yet doesn't want her to be. Zoro knew this wasn't an accident, and he fought to keep himself from rolling his hips forward to meet hers. As if she had read his mind, she rolled her hips forward, eliciting a delicious friction on his cock. He tried to keep his face completely stoic and bit back the hiss of pleasure that threatened to break forth from his throat. Hikari's eyes inspect him closely, searching his face for any hint of weakness.

Zoro hesitantly raised his eyes to meet hers, and he instantly lost himself in those sea-grey depths. His mind, which had been raging a few moments before, was now completely blank. Her unspoken question seemingly answered, she leaned down and pressed her lips gently against his. The sudden gentleness of her touch spurred something inside him, and the next thing he knew, their positions were reversed and he was hovering over her, his hands pinning her arms out to the sides. A satisfied smirk spread over her face, and she flexed, her body twisting underneath him. He realized that she had intentionally wound him up to push him to this point, and now that he had taken control, she had no intention of fighting back. He knew she had the strength to break free, but she was choosing not to. The thought of having her under his control quiets that tiny voice that was protesting in the back of his mind. He surges down to claim her lips, taking immense pleasure in the satisfied moan that echoes out of Hikari's throat.

The kiss became heated, and Zoro was forced to break away for air. He drifted away from her mouth, trailing open-mouthed kisses down her jaw and neck. She cursed lightly as he bit down on her pulse, his hands leaving her arms to trail down her sides. He thrills in the shivers the action sends down her spine. Her hands, now free, are suddenly pressed against his chest, running over his scars, leaving burning trails in their wake. His hands find the edge of her top and he tugs impatiently at it, desperate to get his share of the fun. After a few seconds of struggle, Zoro settles for ripping the shirt in half, revealing more of Hikari's creamy skin.

"That was an expensive shirt, you ass," Hikari murmurs breathily, lifting her torso momentarily to pull the remains of the shirt from her shoulders. Zoro couldn't help but stare. He had known that her figure was impressive, but he was still taken aback by how toned she was. Hikari, apparently tired of waiting for him to finish his inspection, rakes her nails slowly across his lower abdomen. Cursing, Zoro tensed, giving her the chance she needed to push him over and straddle his hips. Growling angrily at the loss of control, Zoro soon forgot why he was angry when she snapped her hips forward. His head hit the floor as her hands and mouth were back on him. She attacked his scar with a new ferociousness that sent shivers down his spine and drew a whine from his lips.

Zoro barely registers the fact that Hikari's hands have sunk lower and are now fumbling with the button on his pants. Panic wormed its way back into his mind, and he struggled to raise himself back up to his elbows.

"Wait, wait, wait," he choked out, trying to stop her before she can go any further. This can't happen, not here, not now. The galley was too open, too exposed. His hands wrap around her wrists, but not before she dips them into his trousers and brushes her fingers along his erection.

_Fuck it_. Zoro didn't care anymore as he practically choked on the very air. He couldn't give a shit as to where they were as her talented hands worked their way along his length. Lust completely clouded his thoughts as he lost himself in the sensation. He collapsed back on the floor, throwing an arm over his eyes. He tried to keep his breathing steady as she continued to torture him with lingering touches and brushes. Just when the fire in his stomach is about to burst forth, she retreats. Zoro growled angrily, opening his mouth to demand to know what the hell she was doing when the most fantastic heat envelops his cock. The words died in his throat, and he moaned wantonly, glancing up to see what had happened.

Hikari has lowered herself onto his erection. Zoro's breath stopped at the sight of her sitting above him, her face flushed as she gazed out at him from under her thick lashes. He was so taken aback by her boldness that he was frozen, his brain refusing to give his body the ability to move. Then she rolled her hips forward, and he was lost, drowning in the sensation. He felt his hands clawing at the wooden floor of the galley as she rode him mercilessly. He numbly realized that he was probably being a bit too vocal, but he honestly didn't give a shit. Hikari's hands were back on his chest, her mouth dancing down his neck. The combined sensation was overwhelming, threatening to send him reeling over the edge at any moment. She had started to move her hips in a strange circular motion, slowing down her gyrations enough to keep him from the brink. He blindly reached for her, his calloused hands fisting in her long hair as he dragged her back to his face to press his mouth to hers in an awkward kiss.

It was pure bliss and agony, heaven and hell. Zoro pressed his forehead against Hikari's, gasping for air in short, ragged breaths.

"Please," he whispered, barely managing to force the words out of his throat.

Hikari seemed at first to not acknowledge his plea, almost completely removing himself from his throbbing member. She hovered there for a moment, before swiftly sliding back down and slamming against his hips. Zoro completely lost control of his vocal cords at that point, howling to the ceiling as she repeatedly impaled herself on him. His hips rose off the floor to meet her thrusts, the fire in his gut rising to a white-hot blaze before orgasm hits him like a train. He arched his back as pleasure wracks his body, his vision going black for a few moments. When he finally comes back down, he finds Hikari lying on top of his chest, her hooded eyes twinkling with contentment. She ran a hand over his brow, brushing back a few stray short locks.

"You're so damn loud," she murmured, a satisfied smirk spread across her lips. Zoro hummed in agreement, wrapping an arm around her slender form. Sighing deeply, he pressed his lips against her forehead, closing his eyes as she practically purrs from his touch. Reveling in the afterglow, the two lie against each other, their passions finally sated. As Zoro drifted off, he felt the rumble of Hikari absentmindedly humming some odd song as she traces the scars on his chest.

* * *

><p>"So what exactly happened?"<p>

Nami's voice snapped Zoro out of his thoughts. Shaking his head to rid himself of the lingering thoughts, he looked to Hikari for her take on that night.

Surprisingly, she simply shrugs as she replies. "I dunno. We were both pretty drunk. I don't remember much, to be honest."

But Zoro notices the stiffness in her shoulders, the tenseness in her jaw, and the slightly apprehensive look in her eyes, and he knew that she was lying.

Sanji, who had at some point finally regained his senses, picked up the pot off the ground and called everyone in to supper. The rest of the crew cheered and darted off into the kitchen, happy both for food and for the chance to escape the current conversation. Soon the room was empty, leaving Zoro and Hikari alone.

"You weren't that drunk." His words pierce the awkward silence between them.

"No," Hikari admitted, rubbing the back of her neck as she found a particularly interesting spot on the floor. "But it's not like they need to know every detail."

Zoro made a face at the thought. "Yeah, you're right."

"I do have a question, though." Hikari had raised her gaze to meet his, her expression curiously pensive. "Why did you keep trying to hold back?"

The swordsman coughed and shifted uncomfortably. The details were still a bit foggy in that area, and the reasons he did remember were quite foolish. "I think it was because we were in the galley. I was terrified that someone was going to waltz right in and catch us in the act."

Hikari snorted. "Is that all?"

"Well," Zoro began again, pausing as he tried to phrase the words in a slightly more eloquent way. "That, and the fact that I didn't want our relationship to restart with sex."

A grin spread across her face. "So you were nervous?"

"No!" he snapped, before realizing that he had just confirmed her suspicions. Gritting his teeth, he swore under his breath. Was it really so easy for him to fall into her traps?

"Well, not that it matters anyway," Hikari sighed, taking a few steps toward Zoro on her way to the kitchen. "To be completely honest, I was impressed by how long you held out."

Her shoulder bumped into his as she passed, knocking him a bit off balance. He took a step back to steady himself. Faster than he could follow, she was pressed against his chest, her lips by his ear.

"I hope you've improved."

Zoro's thoughts were sent reeling. While his body immediately decided to jump headfirst into the gutter, his mind struggled to come up with an alternate option. Surely she didn't mean _that_. She must have been talking about something else, like his restraint.

But rather than the witty answer that was offered up by his mind, a simple "What?" tumbled out of his mouth. His thoughts were clouded by the closeness of that warm body. Some tiny part of his brain offered up the fact that he was now a few inches taller than her, and that his newfound height advantage could prove useful in the future.

Then she was gone, walking off toward the kitchen, her hips swaying as she strutted off. A small smirk flashed across his face as he followed her. She thought she had won.

Oh, how wrong she was.

* * *

><p><strong><em>TBC<em>**

**_Thanks for reading!_**

**_As a slight little side note, "Kachan" is one of the informal ways to say "mother" in Japanese and "Otosan" is one of the ways to say "father"._**

**_Also, Kichirou means "lucky son" in Japanese. Hikari's reason for naming her son this will be revealed in a later chapter._**


	4. Beginning of Chaos

_**Sorry for the long ass delay guys. I had a new chapter written and everything. But then my NEW COMPUTER died. And I have to replace the hard drive. And shipping it back to the factory and home takes about 2 weeks.**_

_**I'm super annoyed.**_

_**I apologize for how jumpy and short this chapter is. Hopefully the next couple of chapters will be better.**_

_**As I was writing this, several parts were inspired by The Legend of Korra, the new Avatar series. Holy shit, it is so good. The animation is gorgeous. You HAVE to watch it.**_

_**Anywho, here we are! Chapter 4! Plot is going to start happening. But also some fluff and other goodies along the way. 3**_

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 4<em>

_Beginning of Chaos_

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><p>Zoro awoke to a low sizzling sound and the delicious smell of freshly cooked food. Sighing, he drifted back from a rather wonderful dream, cracking his one eye open as he dragged himself back to reality. The morning sun shone softly through the curtains, lighting the room with a light golden glow. While he felt like it should have been warm, the hard wooden floor was cold against his back. For a moment, he was disoriented. This wasn't his cabin on the ship. And why was he on the floor?<p>

After waiting a few moments for his brain to fully wake up, everything clicked into place. They weren't on the ship. They were still in Skyloft. They were staying at Hikari's house.

Sighing tiredly, he sat up, rubbing his shoulder. He ached from sleeping on the wooden floor, and vaguely wondered why he had volunteered to sleep there. Pulling himself to his feet, he trudged into the kitchen allowing his nose to serve as a guide for his still-sleepy body. Rubbing at his good eye, he found himself looking at the cook's grumpy mug.

"Well, don't you look joyous," he grumbled, leaning against the counter and reaching for some warm bread. Sanji made a nasty face before smacking Zoro's hand away. The two glared at each other before the cook turned back to his cooking. Zoro's bad mood got worse as Pipit waltzed into the room, an unnaturally cheery grin plastered on his face.

"Why so serious, you two?" he laughed, grabbing an apple and tossing it between his hands. The two simply focused their glares at him, not amused by his happy-go-lucky self. "Fine, fine, I can tell that you guys are tired. But you're gonna want to get ready. Today's gonna be a big day."

"What happens today?" Robin asked as she and Nami walked into the room. Pipit's grin spread wider, if that was even possible.

"Well," he drawled, rolling the apple up his arm. "There's a big event today. You'll have to see it yourselves to understand. So, if you all hurry up and get ready, we can get good seats."

* * *

><p>"So it's a tournament for Devil Fruit users?" Nami asked, leaning over Luffy to talk to Pipit.<p>

"You could call it that," Pipit acknowledged, turning his gaze to the large circular arena before them. "Many of our soldiers are Devil Fruit users and, as I'm sure you know, if they get cooped up, they tend to go a bit haywaire. So we hold a tournament to let them blow off some steam."

A roar erupted from the crowd, alerting the crew to the start of the tournament. Four soldiers walked out onto the arena, each dressed in a different color. "The colors symbolize their ability," Pipit interjected, noticing the crew's interest in their uniforms. Blatantly ignoring the soldier, who just _had_ to be sitting next to him, Zoro focused on the arena, searching for a familiar face. He was finally able to pick out where she stood, clothed in silver and light blue as opposed to the green she had been wearing the day before. Her sword was missing too, which perturbed him. How was she supposed to fight without a sword?

"Oh, and did I mention this?" Pipit asked, grinning devilishly. "This is the first time Hikari has entered. And weapons aren't allowed. Should be fun to watch."

The crew looked at him like he was crazy. Nami sighed and shook her head. They all knew where this was going. Without her sword against other Devil Fruit users, she was a sitting duck. But before they had time to worry too much, a whistle sounded somewhere, and the fight began.

It appeared that the other 3 soldiers were all logia users. The soldier dressed in red and yellow shot tongues of fire at his opponents, the brown-clad warrior could manipulate the earth, and strangely enough, the man in blue and green could turn his body into water. All of them had decided that Hikari was the easiest target, and had decided to take her out first. Zoro groaned internally as the barrage of logia attacks flashed across the arena. Hikari, who he knew was mediocre at hand-to-hand combat, appeared to be struggling to counter all of the attacks focused on her. While he knew he couldn't legally do anything, he still felt the tug to help his comrade.

"Don't worry," Pipit suddenly muttered from beside him, causing him to flinch slightly. He turned to glare at the irritating yellow soldier, who merely smiled back at him. "She's going to let loose in a minute. She just needs to warm up."

A hush blanketed the crowd, drawing Zoro's attention back to the field. It took him a moment to realize what had changed. Hikari's movements appeared different. Her hands, clenched into fists before, were splayed out with palms out. She spun and twisted, stepping lightly and weaving her arms through the air as if she was dancing. The attacks, which had been hitting before, were only striking air.

Zoro couldn't help but gape at the change in her demeanor. Since when did she move like this? Everyone else appeared to be dumbstruck by her sudden change as well. The crowd had gone completely silent, entranced by her dance-like movements. Whatever she was doing, it was working. Her opponents, in their desperation to hit her, were wearing themselves out. The barrage of attacks had considerably lessened.

But nothing surprised Zoro more than when the fire-user blasted a ball of fire at Hikari, and she caught it. Spiraling her hands around the ball, he noticed a swirl of wind around her hands before she threw her hands forward, blasting the fire back at the logia user.

"Did she just manipulate the air around her hands?" Robin asked incredulously. Her question was answered as Hikari flourished her hands yet again, summoning up a powerful wind to knock the earth logia user off his feet. Pipit grinned and raised an eyebrow at the pirate crew. "Very observant, my dear," he laughed, turning back to the match. "During her training, she found out that she could manipulate, and eventually create, winds. Her powers have grown significantly since you last saw her."

Zoro could certainly believe that. Now that she was on the offensive, it was clear that the match was over. Hikari's wind manipulation (or he supposed it could be called air-bending) was, as Pipit said, quite powerful. She had already knocked the water and the earth logia users off the arena. The match was now a battle between fire and wind. Both fought gracefully, their attacks woven into an intricate, dance-like fighting style. The fire logia user seemed to rely more on power, however, and Hikari's repetitive dodging frustrated him greatly. Snarling, the fire-bender pulled both fists back and jabbed them forward sharply, knuckles facing forward, sending a huge blast of fire at Hikari.

"No!" Nami gasped, a horrified look on her face. "There's no way she's gonna dodge this one!"

But Hikari appeared to have no intention of dodging. She stood in place as the huge fireball approached. At the last second, she crouched, twisting her body and spreading her arms. Right before the fire reached her, she snapped up straight, spinning on her toes and cartwheeling her arms in front of herself. As she did, a powerful blast of wind cycled before her, creating a cyclone that absorbed and deflected the flames. Swirling her hands, the fire eventually dissipated, leaving the fire-bender gaping. Hikari balled her hands into fists, a sly grin on her face.

"Let's go," she called out, before charging at the fire-bender. To his credit, the man stood his ground and made one last, desperate attempt to knock her out with a quick fireball. But Hikari leapt through the flames, grabbing the man by the fists and, with a quick kick, launching him off of the stage. A bell rang out, signalling the end of the match, and the crowd went wild.

"AWESOME!" Luffy screamed, bouncing in his seat with pure glee. Zoro had to agree. Hikari had been amazing out there. She had some some impressive things in the two years since he had last seen her. Glancing to his side, he expected to see Pipit giving him a smug look or making a snide comment. Instead, the soldier was nowhere to be found. Frowning, Zoro glanced around, wondering where he could have disappeared to. His gaze was drawn to the field, where Hikari was being escourted off. A flash of yellow appeared among the fans lining the edges of the arena, and Pipit was running toward Hikari, a huge grin plastered on his face. As he watched, Pipit swept her up off her feet in a huge hug, spinning in a circle as he clutched her. The soldier apparently noticed that Zoro was watching, because he shot a grin in Zoro's direction before setting Hikari on her feet and planting a kiss square on her lips.

With a snarl and a flash of steel, Zoro was off, set on gutting the yellow soldier.

* * *

><p>Hikari sighed deeply, staring out over the village. Who knew a simple brawl could end in half the town being destroyed? Rubbing her temples with her fingertips, she tried to keep her frustration at bay. Everything was going horribly wrong. And there was nothing she could do about it. Slamming her fist against the balcony railing, she was startled out of her thoughts by a light chuckle from behind her.<p>

"Not too happy with the situation, are we?"

She cast an intimidating glare over her shoulder as Pipit smirked from the door, leaning against the frame. Her rage soon vanished, replaced by a pang of guilt as she saw the fresh bandages wrapped around his arm. Turning back to the scene before her, she muttered, "Who would be?"

"Well, what's life if it isn't complicated?" her lieutenant sighed, silently walking over to where she stood and leaning against the balcony, watching the workers with disinterest.

Hikari stole a glance at the soldier clad in yellow, surprised by how stoic he looked after what he had been through. The makeshift sling holding his right arm prompted her to speak. "Sorry about that," she blurted out before she was aware of it. Pipit shot her a quizzical look, and she averted her gaze, well aware of the heat spreading across her face.

"Aww, the tough little captain's a big ol' softie," he crooned, grinning widely at her obvious discomfort. She scowled, smacking him in the back of the head as he laughed. "No need to worry, captain. I'm fine as a fiddle. Mister Sexy Swordsman is tough, but so am I."

Hikari felt the flush on her face spread at the mention of Zoro. Glaring at a random worker, she cursed her luck. Only she would be dumb enough to fall for an idiotic, headstrong swordsman who had a nasty habit of destroying whole towns when someone else made a move on her.

"You forgot sexy. _Very_ sexy," Pipit added, as she realized that she had voiced her thoughts aloud. Snapping her mouth shut, she shot him another glare, as if this was his fault. "Don't worry," he commented, ignoring her death glare. "I'm sure we'll figure out a way out of this mess."

Hikari seriously doubted that. While the prospect certainly sounded wonderful, she seriously doubted that it would all work out in her favor. Her expression now somber, she gazed out over the rubble. A familiar splash of color caught her eye and she focused on it, intrigued. It appeared that the crew was helping to fix the damage they had caused. Franky, who was clearly in his element, appeared to be ordering several men around, directing them as to where to nail in boards or to place bricks. Usopp was quickly hammering in boards while babbling to a crowd, probably entertaining them with the tale of how he had rebuilt a village three times this size in under a day. Robin and Chopper were using their abilities to carry multiple loads of equipment and material to their respective build sites. Brook was actually putting his crazy leaning technique to good use, as he was leaning against the walls to make sure they were perpendicular to the ground. Sanji was cooking food and bringing refreshments to the workers, who were mostly male, which probably explained why he looked so annoyed. Nami was creating clouds to keep the weather around the workers cool. Luffy was just bouncing around like a crazy person. And Zoro…

Zoro was carrying an inhuman amount of plywood. While this would be impressive enough, at some point, he had decided to remove his shirt, revealing his extremely muscular body. A fine sheen of sweat and dirt covered his torso, while his powerful chest and arm muscles rippled with the effort of carrying such a load. Hikari knew she was gaping, but she didn't really care. Everyone around him had the exact same expression on their faces.

Dammit, he _had_ grown in the past two years.

Pipit had followed her gaze, a sly grin on his face. "See? Sexy," he smirked, breaking the silence and snapping her out of her daze. Hikari was pretty sure that her face was bright red. Jerking back from the railing, she straightened up and cleared her throat, which had quite suddenly gone dry. "Don't you have work to do, soldier?" she snapped halfheartedly.

If it was possible, Pipit's grin grew wider. "Nope. I'm on leave until my poor little arm heals."

Seething, she brushed past him quickly, unconsciously creating a gust of wind as she turned. Pipit remained silent until she reached the doorway. "You're going to have to tell them eventually," he murmured quietly, keeping his gaze on the workers. "About the situation you're in. About us."

Stopping in her tracks, Hikari sighed, running a hand through her hair absentmindedly. "I know. But how the hell do I explain this giant mess I've managed to get myself into?"

She left, not waiting for the soldier to reply.

* * *

><p><em><strong>TBC<strong>_

_**I swear, everything will be explained later.**_

_**Also, I'm sure you all will be pleased to know that this is not the last time that Zoro will kick Pipit's ass.**_


	5. Betrayal

_**HOLY SHIT! AN UPDATE?**_

_**Yes, I am back from the dead! Finals and life snuck up on me, and computer troubles kept me from writing. But here's the next chapter!**_

_**You all will hate me once this chapter is done. I can almost guarantee it.**_

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 5<em>

_Betrayal_

* * *

><p>Zoro sighed heavily as he set down the shovel he had been using. He wiped the back of his forearm across his forehead in an attempt to mop up the sweat that had collected on his brow, not realizing that his actions had also smeared dirt across his face. While he had only been working for a few hours, his arms were sore. Rebuilding houses had turned out to be a good workout. Muscles he didn't even know he had were aching from overuse. Not that he minded. The ache of overworked muscles simply signified a good workout to the powerful swordsman. Sitting on a step, he released a tired breath, glad for the break. He leaned back and tilted his head back to rest on another step, the sun's rays warming his tan face. As he stared at the sky, with clouds drifting lazily by, he realized that he had been working for most of the day. The swordsman would kill for a nap right now. He vaguely heard the cook shouting at him to get his lazy ass up, but he brushed the comment off as if it were an annoying fly. Another voice and a playful poke to the ribs, however, had him up in seconds.<p>

"Do you always laze around like this in the middle of construction grounds?"

His remaining eye snapped open as he recognized the voice. Turning his head to the side, he was met with the sight of Hikari standing over him, a smirk on her face as she gazed down at him. Zoro pulled himself to his feet, the tiny voice in the back of his head noting that while she stood three whole steps above him, he was still taller than her.

The thought was brushed away, but it, and its less kid-friendly companions returned in full force when Hikari's gaze flickered down him form, a sly smirk pulling at her lips. "Do you always do construction work dressed like this?" she drawled, finally locking her gaze with his own.

Only when you're around was his initial response, but he bit that comment back. Keeping his face stoic, Zoro shrugged nonchalantly. "It's hot out. And not all of us have special wind powers," he retorted, raising an eyebrow at her. She laughed, an acknowledgement to his playful jab at her growth.

"True, but still… You're lucky that there aren't any single women around. They'd be fighting over you in a heartbeat."

Zoro snorted. He doubted that. But when he looked away in mock fear, he saw her gaze flash across his body once more, and her expression turned to one of desire. Maybe she wasn't kidding.

For some reason, he was in a playful mood. So he turned to her with a sly grin, and asked "Jealous?"

The question clearly took her off guard. She stared, as if afraid she had heard him wrong, a shocked expression on her face. Zoro smiled inwardly, pleased with her reaction. He hadn't realized how much he had missed their usual teasing and bantering.

"At any rate," Hikari continued in a slightly more professional voice, the only hint of their previous conversation being a faint blush on her cheeks. "I'm glad to see that the repairs are going smoothly. I'll be sure to tell Commander Greil that everything is going well…"

"I can find out on my own, Captain," a deep voice drawled. Hikari jumped and spun around to face a rather tall middle-aged man. The man stood at the top of the stairs, quiet confidence practically oozing out of his pores. He cocked one eyebrow at Hikari, a bemused look on his face. "Don't you have other things to be doing beside loitering and keeping the poor man from his work?"

Hikari opened her mouth as if to protest, but she thought better of it, closing her mouth without a word. Falling into a soldier's stance, she bowed slightly as she walked off, but not before casting Zoro one last glance. The Commander watched her leave, a knowing look on his face. Stepping forward, he extended a hand.

"I don't believe we have been formally introduced," the old commander commented. "As you may have guessed, I am Commander Greil. But for one as distinguished as yourself, Roronoa Zoro, you may call me Greil."

Zoro blinked in confusion. "Distinguished?" he asked, taking the commander's hand in a firm shake. "I know we're infamous, but Luffy tends to overshadow all of us."

Greil laughed heartily, a genuine smile on the man's face. "We keep tabs on many infamous individuals, but your… nakama, as you call them… they stand out. So it's only natural that we would know of you and your renown."

Zoro decided that he liked this man. While he kept reserved, he spoke the plain truth. Crossing his arms over his chest, he allowed a smirk to turn up the edges of his lips. "So what do they say about me?"

"Many things, which are of no concern at the moment." Greil's tone was suddenly serious. "I advise you to keep away from Captain Oshiro. At the present time, there are forces at work which have taken the situation out of your hands. No questions," the commander held up a hand to stop the swordsman from protesting. "Pipit will answer any questions later. For now, keep your contact with Oshiro to a bare minimum." With that, the commander turned to leave. Stopping at the top of the stairs, he turned back to the bewildered swordsman. "… I apologize for how things have turned out." The man's eyes, surprisingly, held a hint of remorse in them, before he turned and swept away.

Zoro stared after Greil's retreating figure, wondering what the hell was going on.

* * *

><p>"What the hell is going on?" Sanji snarled, hands shoved in his pockets as he glared at a certain yellow-clad soldier. Pipit had dropped in on the crew's dinner, literally. The roof above the kitchen had a skylight, which was where Pipit had chosen to make his entrance. He now sat crouched on the table, his usual smirk spread widely across his face.<p>

"Calm down, Cook-san," he laughed, picking up on Robin's pet name for the cook. "I'm here on orders. Greil sent me to explain a few things."

"Like why Oshiro-san has been avoiding us?" Robin asked innocently, her knowing gaze locked on the soldier.

"You sure are perceptive, Robin-chan," Pipit sighed, leaping to the ground. Leaning back against the counter, he let his gaze wander, watching the expressions of all the crew. He had a strange look on his face, as if he was being forced to choose his words carefully.

"Do you know how long guests are allowed to stay here in Skyloft?" Pipit asked quietly, his face serious.

The crew was silent.

"Two months. Knowing this, how do you think Hikari has managed to stay in the country this long?"

Silence again. Robin decided to speak up this time. "She had to become a citizen, didn't she?"

"Correct, my dear," Pipit beamed at her, but without all of his usual cheer. "There are two ways of becoming a citizen of Skyloft. One is to be born here, as Kichirou was. The other is to marry a citizen of Skyloft."

Zoro's jaw clenched and his hand, which had been unconsciously holding the hilt of his sword, locked into an iron grip, his knuckles going white. If the crew hadn't been there, and his curiosity hadn't been perked by his earlier conversation, he would have gutted the man right there. Pipit clearly noticed his behavior, pausing momentarily to watch the swordsman warily before continuing.

"When Hikari arrived here, she was given amnesty because she was with child. Our leaders do have some sense of decency. After Kichirou was born, her amnesty was extended until Kichirou was old enough to leave the country. However, we cannot extend her amnesty any longer. The rules have been bent to their furthest." Pipit paused, a strange look on his face. "A decision had to be made when Kichirou was a year old. The elders decided that she had to be married within a year. So… we made an… agreement. I agreed to help her stall as long as possible by becoming her fiancé."

"I see," Robin responded quickly, cutting off Zoro's angry hiss. "So with the promise of her getting married and becoming a citizen, the elders backed off."

Pipit nodded his assent. "Everything was going smoothly, until you all showed up. Then the elders started getting suspicious. They want to know what is going on between her and Zoro. We've been forced to put on an act just to keep them at bay."

The room was eerily silent as everyone finally understood.

"So... why should that matter now?" Usopp finally asked. "She's part of the crew. Now that we're here, can't she just leave?"

"No. She's a member of the Sky Knights, like it or not. The military are really tight with their secrets. They don't just let people leave."

"If that's the case, why did she even join in the first place?" Nami demanded, slamming her hands down on the table. "She had to know we would come for her!"

"She had no choice," Pipit responded solemnly. "The law here is very strict. Anyone of fighting caliber is enlisted in the military, whether they like it or not. And once they're enlisted, they can't leave."

"But-" Chopper began, only to be cut off.

"There is no dismissal from the military. Defecting is met by death. She has no way out, and she knows it." Pipit lowered his eyes to the floor, his bangs hiding his expression. His next statement was barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry to tell you all this, but you'll be leaving without her."

Silence followed this as reality slammed down on the crew's hopes. Then, the room erupted into a storm of shouts and angry remarks. In the midst of the chaos, Pipit slipped silently out of the room, leaving them to deal with the situation at hand. He had other business to attend to, and it didn't involve consoling a very angry and trigger-happy crew.

* * *

><p>Hikari sighed softly, pacing back and forth across the balcony. He was late, as usual. Realistically, she should have expected as much from him. He had a habit of never showing up on time.<p>

A soft flutter of wings reached her ears, and she didn't need to turn to know who it was.

"You're late," she growled, keeping her back turned as she listened intently for the footsteps that never came. Warm arms suddenly wrapped around her, and she tried not to jump.

"Well excuse me, princess," Pipit whispered right next to her ear. "I was a bit busy explaining your dirty little secrets to your friends." He sighed heavily, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"How did they take it?"

"Quite well, all things considered."

Silence followed the soldier's last comment. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, though. The two had become quite used to each other's presence over the course of two years. Sighing, Hikari leaned her head back, staring at the ever-clear sky. "When do they leave?" she asked quietly.

"Tomorrow."

Without a word, Hikari stepped forward, leaning against the balcony. So soon… She wasn't anywhere near prepared enough for this. Staring out over the tiny town, she tried to figure out what she could possibly do.

"This is all so fucked up…" she whispered to the wind.

"You have a plan?" Pipit asked, concern clear in his voice.

"Maybe. I don't know. It's a longshot but…" Turning to the soldier, she grabbed his hand suddenly. "You trust me, right?"

Pipit nodded, his usual smirk worming its way onto his face. "Of course. Captain knows best."

Hikari nodded absentmindedly, her gaze slightly glazed, as if she wasn't really in this moment. Pipit tugged her forward, clutching her in a friendly hug. "No matter what happens, I know it's for the best. You have to trust your judgement, Shiro."

Hikari gazed up at him, a truly worried expression on her face. "No matter what?" she repeated. "Even if I did the worst thing possible? Even if I tear this place apart?"

Pipit rolled his eyes and gently rested his forehead against hers. "I thought we were clear on this," he growled. "I trust you. Whatever you choose to do, it'll be the right thing."

Hikari tensed slightly, but eventually relaxed, letting Pipit's words soothe her. She sighed, clutching her lieutenant, and more importantly, her friend, closer and burying her head in his chest. For the first time in a long time, she felt completely at ease.

She didn't see the figure slipping away in the shadows, or hear the all-too familiar tinkle of earrings as a certain swordsman fled the scene, who had been close enough to see, but not hear…

* * *

><p>The rest of the crew babbled happily as they totted all sorts of new goods to the ferry. Zoro just watched from his perch on the roof, staring blankly at the bustling marketplace. How odd it was that the rest of the world went on, when he felt like it should be ending.<p>

He couldn't think about what he'd seen last night. As far as he was concerned, it was a blatant betrayal of his trust.

He should have known better. Open your heart to someone, and they'll crush it. That's what the world had taught him. He'd hoped it would be different with her, but she had proved to be just as heartless as the rest of the world.

Not that it mattered anymore. They were leaving this place, leaving her.

Leaping from his perch, he stormed off to the ship. The rest of the crew either didn't notice his terrible mood, or didn't care. They simply continued about their business. Luffy, the ever-happy ball of energy, accosted him as soon as he approached the ferry.

"Oi, Zoro! Did you find Hikari?"

Right, he was supposed to be finding her and seeing if she would leave with them. They were pirates, after all. Breaking the law was their specialty. So Luffy had told Zoro to find her and ask her to come back.

Well, he'd found her. And he knew the answer without speaking to her.

Next time he saw that sniveling yellow asshole, he was going to slit his throat.

"Yeah," he said flatly. "She's not coming."

Ignoring the protests and shouted questions from the rests of the crew, the swordsman stormed down the docks without a second word. At the plank connecting the island, he stopped, sparing one last look back, taking a moment to seal off his heart. Turning from the island that he would never see again, he boarded the ship.

And then the world exploded. Zoro was pitched forward, and everything went black.

* * *

><p><em><strong>TBC<strong>_

_**I told you that you'd hate me.**_

_**I'm sorry, but cliffhangers are so much fun!**_

_**Oh, and next chapter concludes the Skyloft Arc.**_


	6. Homecoming

_**God, it's been a while since I've updated this story.**_

_**I'm going to be completely honest here. I've kinda run out of inspiration for this story. It's not done, mind you, but I've been more inspired to write other stories. I will eventually finish this one, but not any time soon. I need to work out where I want this story to go from here. There will be shenanigans with Kichirou and the crew, but nothing will be published until I get the inspiration to write it.**_

_**But here it is! The end of the Skyloft arc, and the pausing point for this tale.**_

* * *

><p><em>Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.<em>

_I do, however, own Hikari and Kichirou._

* * *

><p>Chapter 6<p>

Homecoming

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><p>The first thing Zoro registered as he came to was the ringing in his ears.<p>

Then came the pain. It started as a dull throbbing behind his temples, but when he shifted, it erupted into a raging beast, clawing at the inside of his skull. Groaning, he coughed as he tried to breathe. Something raspy was replacing the oxygen he was used to breathing. Smoke. Right. An explosion.

Forcing his good eye open, he coughed, covering his mouth with his sleeve. He rolled over to his stomach, scanning the ship to see where everyone was. Nami and Usopp were out cold next to Chopper, who had his hooves to his ear and an expression of intense pain on his face. His mouth was wide open, so Zoro assumed he was screaming. Strange, he couldn't hear anything besides the ringing. The swordsman supposed that if his own hearing was so badly affected, it must be easily ten times worse for the reindeer's sensitive hearing. Robin sat beside the doctor, looking quite shaken. Franky was looking back, shouting something at the soldiers on the boat, who were stumbling about in a panic. Luffy was towing Brooke back onboard, as he had apparently been blown off in the explosion. It wasn't surprising that he had been knocked off, considering how little he weighed. He was more surprised with how both Franky and Luffy seemed unaffected by the blast, when the others were clearly suffering.

But what frightened him most was the condition that the cook was in. Sanji sat a few feet away, blood dripping from his left temple, retching up what appeared to be all the food he had eaten for the past week. Sanji, the seafarer, throwing up from an explosion. True, Zoro felt nausea pull at him as well, but he forced the bile back. He couldn't be that weak, no matter everyone else's condition. But when he tried to sit up, his vision spun violently, and he almost lost his lunch. Sucking in a violent breath, he closed his eye, willing away the headache and the ringing in his ears and the near silent shink of steel…

Snapping his eye open, he turned his head as fast as he could, only to see Pipit holding a sword to the throat of another soldier. "Sorry," he grinned, the man's words sounding hollow and distant in Zoro's ears. "But I'll be taking over this craft." As the soldier opened his mouth to protest, Pipit's fist flashed forward, knocking the man out. After tossing the unconscious soldier aside, Pipit leapt aboard, sprinting over to the helm, which happened to be relatively close to where Zoro lay.

"Hang on!" the yellow soldier shouted as the ship shuddered forward, leaving the port. "We're getting out of here!" Zoro looked back at the island, surprised to see the once peaceful island in flames. It looked like hell had formed on earth. He could see houses ablaze, people running in panic. Before unconsciousness claimed him again, he saw a flaming figure standing calmly amidst the chaos. Vaguely wondering who that was, his last thought was a wish for Hikari to be safe.

* * *

><p>Hikari stood in the midst of the flames, a constant breeze that she had summoned up keeping the flames away from her body. The explosion had been bigger than she had planned, but it had worked. Total chaos had overtaken the people.<p>

Everything was going according to plan.

Walking straight through the flames, she couldn't help but entertain a strange thought. After spreading her sheer white wings, she pulled the breeze in closer to her body, letting a bit of the flames follow. It gave the illusion that she was on fire, while the flames never actually touched her. She was sure the image was frightening. A girl on fire. Or, she supposed, with her wings out, she looked like an angry angel. Either way, she wasn't really interested. She just needed the intimidation factor for her next step. Calmly walking the burning streets, she ignored the screaming townsfolk. She couldn't think about how terrified they must be, or the casualties she had caused with this stunt. She was determined not to think of such things. The elders here had made to imprison and control her, and she was going to show them just how bad of an idea that was.

Commander Greil sat kneeling on the ground a few feet away, the middle-aged man staring forlornly at the now destroyed barracks. Hikari felt a twinge of guilt as she approached. She knew how much this place had meant to Greil, and yet she had destroyed it. Someday, she would have to apologize.

But not now. Now she stood over him, an emotionless expression on her face. She glared down at the commander with detached disinterest. Greil looked up at her with a mixture of horror and awe.

"The girl on fire…" he murmured softly before she cut him off.

"I'm taking the sword and the boat. Any attempts to stop me will be met with death. Any attempts to track me will be met with death for the trackers. Do you understand?"

Greil's gaze softened as he understood her demands. He nodded once, and Hikari turned and walked off toward the edge of the island.

"For the record, Elaina and I were against keeping you here," he called out after her.

She stopped at the mention of Greil's late wife. "Did she forsee this too?"

"She saw a girl on fire. The rest is up to you to discover whether or not it is true."

Hikari remained silent, contemplating his words. Turning back to the edge, she stepped forward, falling toward the sea and toward her freedom.

* * *

><p>"What the fuck is going on?"<p>

A very ragged looking Pipit held his hands up in submission as the waves of rage flowed from Nami. She had him backed up against the railing, teetering over the brink. Zoro was quite amused by the sight of the normally happy soldier being so shaken, but he would have liked it better if he had gotten to cut up the soldier first.

"Look, I told you already," Pipit pleaded, his voice quavering in fear. "I don't know what's going on! I just knew that if you guys stuck around, it would somehow get blamed on you!"

"Since when do you care?" Zoro snarled, letting one hand drift down to grab the hilt of Shuusui. Even when everything had gone to shit, this guy still pissed him off.

"Since Hikari cared!" the soldier finally shouted back, surprising everyone. "Hikari is probably one of my only friends, so if there's something she wants to protect, I'll protect it too."

"Yeah, you guys are real chummy, are ya?" the swordsman spat, his pent-up rage overflowing. He seriously could not take any more of this crap. "So all that shit on the island, that was just 'friends', huh?"

"The fuck are you talking about?" Pipit growled, glaring daggers at Zoro. "All that was just…"

"An act? What a load of bullshit! I saw you two on the balcony!"

Pipit visibly paled, gaping at the swordsman as if he was trying to form words, but couldn't force them out. Zoro had grown tired of this game. Stomping forward, he grabbed Pipit's collar, lifting the man off his feet with a snarl. The entire crew yelled in a panic as he threatened to drop the man off the edge.

"What the hell are you doing?" Nami screeched.

"Whoa whoa whoa, chill out, bro!" Franky said slowly, holding his hands out as if to grab them both.

"Zoro, stop!" Chopper yelped, tugging on the swordsman's pant leg.

"No," he hissed. "I'm done with this asshole's crap."

"Can everyone please shut the fuck up?"

Everyone cut off as they turned toward Usopp, shocked at his outburst. "Look," he began. "We're all kinda out of it right now. We almost died up there, for crying out loud! So can everyone just take a breath and chill the fuck out? We need to calm down before we figure out what's going on!"

Biting back a sour retort, Zoro reluctantly set Pipit back on his feet. After straightening his shirt, Pipit cleared his throat and announced, "We'll be landing shortly. Make sure you have everything ready to go so you can leave as soon as we land. The elders might send soldiers after you guys, if they can't figure out who did it and they decide that it's your fault."

The crew nodded collectively, each member walking slowly off to collect their belongings. Zoro, who always carried everything with him, stood silently, jaw set in anger as he made a point not to look in Pipit's direction.

"I know what it must have looked like," the soldier murmured as he stood by the helm. "But there isn't anything between us. You have to trust me on this one."

The swordsman shot a glare at Pipit, a scathing retort on the tip of his tongue, when he was cut off by a loud wailing.

"That voice…" Pipit gasped, eyes wide.

"GUYS!" Usopp yelled from across the ship. "We have a problem!"

Both men exchanged a wordless glance and darted off to where the sharpshooter was. By the time they arrived, the rest of the crew was there already, staring at Usopp's find.

Sitting there on the floor of the hold, sobbing uncontrollably, was Kichirou.

"Shit," the soldier cursed, clutching his hands behind his head. "Why the hell is Kichirou here?"

"You tell me," Usopp responded, not realizing that it was a rhetorical question. "I found him here when I went to look for my ammunition. I heard crying in the hold, and there he was."

"Yohoho! But why would Hikari-san leave her child on board this ship?" Brook pondered, tapping his bony fingers against his jaw.

"Perhaps she knew something was going to happen…" Robin muttered under her breath.

"You can't possibly think-" Pipit was cut off by a lurch from the ship and a rather loud commotion from outside. "We're here. Let's get off this thing."

The crew left the hold after Nami had grabbed the crying child, darting up to the deck to find out what other horrors were in store for them. The floating ferry had crashed into the side of the island a few feet away from where the Thousand Sunny was docked.

And at that moment, a band of thieves appeared to be trying to take over the ship. They were doing a poor job of it, as they kept falling overboard for no reason. A clang of steel reached the swordsman's ears, revealed that they weren't just falling off, but that someone was defending the ship.

"Who the hell is up there?" Nami frowned, trying to see over the side.

"I'll go look!" Luffy shouted enthusiastically, shooting his arms up to grab onto the railing and flinging himself onto the ship. A few seconds passed as the rest of the crew waited, wondering what had become of their captain. Eventually, Luffy's classic laughter echoed out as he stretched his head back toward the crew. "Guys! You'll never guess who's up here with me!"

"Will you focus for five full seconds?" an all-too familiar voice roared, before two more thugs were knocked off the ship. Giving his usual 'shi-shi-shi' laugh, Luffy's head shot back onto the deck and the sounds of chaos increased.

It wasn't possible.

It was too good to be true.

But as the crew boarded the Sunny, there she was, wielding her strange winged sword like it was made of air.

"Kachan!" Kichirou shouted happily, reaching for his mother. And it was definitely her, her white hair flashing in the sunlight, that same stupid grin on her face. Zoro couldn't help but grin too.

She was back.

* * *

><p>After the bandits had been beaten senseless and the ship had been reclaimed, the crew set about preparing to set sail. Pipit tugged Hikari off to the side to ask her a few questions.<p>

"The fuck was that?" he hissed quietly, grabbing the collar of her shirt.

"That was the plan," Hikari deadpanned, swatting his hand away. "You said you'd trust me."

"I didn't think you'd do something like this!"

"Look," she sighed, rubbing her temples with her fingertips. "It'll all work out in the end. I wouldn't have blown up the barracks without good reason."

Pipit sighed before shaking his head. "I'll never understand your thought process…"

"You got that right," she snorted, grinning at the soldier. "I told you, there's a method to my madness, so to speak. Just trust that I know what I'm doing, and everything will work out."

He nodded before glancing back up at the island in the sky. "I should go. They'll need all the help they can get." Glancing back at Hikari, he quickly leaned forward, pecking a light kiss on her cheek before darting back to the ferry. "So long, Shiro…" he called out over his shoulder. Hikari rubbed at her cheek, scowling after the yellow soldier.

"Dumbass…" she mumbled, before trudging off to help the crew.

* * *

><p>The campfire burned brightly, sending flickering rays of orange-ish light out over the deck. Franky had conceded to let them have the fire, but now he danced around it, a worried look on his face as he muttered about the ship burning up.<p>

"Franky, we can put the fire out if you want," Hikari drawled, watching the shipwright with an amused look on her face. She sat cross-legged on the grassy deck, her arms bracing her up as she leaned back slightly. She had changed out of her green uniform (something about it being too dirty), and was wearing a simple cream-colored tunic and baggy brown pants. While Zoro rather liked the green uniform, this look wasn't too bad either. The campfire was glowing just right, the light it gave out accentuating her collar bones and smooth neck that was bared by that agonizingly loose fitting cream shirt. Her white hair was tousled and dirty, but the pure white shone from beneath the dust and grime in the flame's light.

Zoro would never admit it, but he felt an almost uncontrollable urge to lunge at her.

Hikari felt the swordsman's gaze on her and turned to meet his eyes, cocking an eyebrow as she silently reminded him that he was staring. Forcing himself to look away, he couldn't help but grin. His luck was unbelievable. Not only had he survived training with a Shichibukai, he had made it back to the crew, to the _complete_ crew, Hikari included. He certainly hadn't been expecting Kichirou, but that was just an added bonus. His remaining eye flicked down to where the boy leaned against him, sound asleep. Ever since Kichirou had been rejoined with his mother, he had trailed the swordsman, until finally Zoro had been forced to stop what he was doing and pay attention to the child. Not that he minded. He hadn't gotten to really interact with the boy on the sky island. In truth, he was just as inquisitive about the boy as Kichirou was about him.

Damn it, that kid was growing on him.

Kichirou shifted in his sleep, mumbling something incoherent. Immediately, Hikari was alert, her attention focused on her son.

_His_ son, too, Zoro reminded himself, not without a hint of satisfaction. Grasping the boy as lightly as he could, he pulled the boy onto his lap, a faint smile flickering across his face as the child curled inward toward him, clutching the edge of his coat with his tiny hands.

Somehow, in that moment, everything seemed to fall into place.

They were finally home.

* * *

><p><em><strong>TBC, at a later date<strong>_


End file.
